City lose local derby clash

Friday, 13 April 2012 From Issue Vol. XX No. 15
By
Paul Frain

Bangkok Casuals Football League Div 1 & 2

The match of the day took place last Saturday at Laem Chabang between the two local sides, Pattaya City and F.C. Planet. This was a must win game for Pattaya City who were trailing Planet by ten points, but having one game in hand.

Both sides had key players missing for this epic clash and it was City who showed their hand first by putting their opponent’s goal under pressure, but the F.C. Planet defense kept tight. City had the first open chance when the Planet keeper was out of position but the ball was rolled wide in front of an open goal by City’s centre forward Vorontsov.

Planet fired back and brought out a superb double save from the City keeper and City then set up a wonderful chance for Vorontsov, who somehow prodded the ball wide after a four man move. The Planet replied when their forward narrowly shot over the bar.

City’s Voronton missed another golden chance when again he put his shot wide when he should have done better. Planet then put the City defense under extreme pressure and the City keeper was kept busy. In the meantime City’s Tchuite shot wide and a free header by Gwabon flashed wide of the post. Planet broke and the City keeper spreading himself saved a certain goal and stopped Planet from going ahead.

The game was flowing with both sides playing good football and City at this stage held the edge. Another chance was missed by City as they gained a free kick just before the Interval, and a great one handed save by Planet’s keeper made sure the were level at half time 0-0.

After the break City kept up the pressure and Gwabou headed wide from a good position. Planet could not get through the City rearguard but a long ball over the top found their tall centre forward, receiving the ball and with his trickery allowed the City defender to bring him down and a penalty was given. Planet’s Gee made no mistake with a thunderbolt shot that sailed into the roof of the net to give Planet the lead and make it 1-0.

This was a temporary setback for City who were shaken but soon got back into the passing moves but few chances were made. Both defenses were on top of their game with hard but fair tackles and then City’s Dipita noticed that the Planet keeper was out of his goal and his shot hit the bar and was cleared.

Planet were also guilty of wasting their chances and it took a good move by the City players to find their centre forward Fotsing whose shot beat the Planet keeper, with the ball crossing the line before a Planet defender hooked it away. However the Linesman indicated that the ball had crossed the line and City had equalized to make it 1-1.

Planet replied immediately and had the ball in the City’s net but it was ruled offside, however they again took the lead when Planet gained a corner on the left and a deep centre found the unmarked Ellingsen whose header found Planet forward Lous to head home to make it 2-1 to Planet.

With only a few minutes remaining Planet kept the defense tight as the game was theirs and City just could not break the defense down. With the final whistle Planet now need just one point to win the Championship.

The game between these two sides was played in a great spirit with exciting football between the best two teams in the league. There were two men of the match and that was the two keepers who both kept their sides in the game, and not forgetting the two managers who have assembled the teams and the high standards that they produced. The referee and the linesman played their part in this superb football match, however City must start converting the many chances they create if they are to finish in the runners up position.

This article was published in the Pattaya Mail newspaper on Friday April 13, 2012 (Vol. XX No. 15).